Greener on the Other Side
by fourthelement
Summary: When a mission goes horribly wrong, the Titans are left with injured teammates and a new charge: a thirteen year old victim of the earthquake they created.
1. I

**Disclaimer: I don't own much: a huge pile of notebooks, some pens, a few people floating around in my head, some disks, and my Japanese flashcards. Do you see "Teen Titans" in there anywhere? Didn't think so.**

**Rory: Here's the first chapter of "Greener on the Other Side," my post-Thicker Than Water masterpiece. It should be pretty good, actually, so I recommend you read it.**

**Secretarial crap:**

**Again, don't own Teen Titans.**

**Dedicated to the wonderful kids in my freshman class. If they read it, they may know why.**

**This story takes place after Sisters, Thicker Than Water, Oh Brother, and the Lake Huron Monster, respectively. While you don't necessarily need to read these stories, you should know the general basics.**

**Some OCs are in here that you may not know if you're a first-timer. Sierra is Terra's sister, hence the name. Starfire's family includes her brother Darkfire and her cousin Saffire. Beast Boy has a cousin named Andy or Claw who may pop up. Wasp is Bumble Bee's brother, and he's with Titans East. The only other person is Hydra, a French Atlantean (don't ask).**

**: Deep breath : Okay. Now read this.

* * *

**

A pair of thin blonde girls huddled in the shadows outside a plain, two-story house on the outskirts of a small Florida town. They looked quite a bit alike, except for their eyes: one's were light brown, the other's blue. The girl with blue eyes pulled a round, yellow device from her pocket and pressed a button.

"Terra to base. Terra to base. Robin, do you read me?"

The smooth voice came in the girl's earpiece. "Reading you loud and clear, Terra."

She nodded, although he couldn't see her. "I'm sick of this stakeout, Robin. Can we enter the building or not?"

"Not yet," he said. "We're almost done evacuating the hospital. On my say-so, enter and apprehend."

Next to her, Sierra grumbled something in incoherent Markovian about stupid bird boys. Terra stifled a giggle and sighed into the communicator, "Fine."

She resettled to the ground, annoyed at the leader for denying her demolition privilege. Silently, she pulled the specially designed, computerized goggles over her eyes and pressed a button. With a quiet click, the goggles turned into binocular lenses.

"Sierra, I've got a visual," she informed her sister. "He's in the living room. And he seems to be – er – never mind, I don't really feel like describing this display of male disgustingness." Terra was bright pink, turning away from the window.

Her sister rolled her eyes. "Right. I'll look." When she did, Slade had finished with whatever it was Terra hadn't particularly liked and had begun something new. "Tara!"

She moved closer, peering into the window as well. "What the – what's he doing? It almost looks like – "

" – A bomb!" Sierra sucked in a quick breath. "Oh, no."

Terra whipped out her communicator quickly. "Robin! I really hope you're done rallying the hospital folks!"

His voice came crackling over the transmitter. "What? No, we're not. Just the Children's Services kids in for checkups left. Why? Did something come up?"

"Uh, _yeah_," she said. "He's sorta got a little thing we like to call a _bomb!_"

"Oh, crap," he said. "Well – just go in there and do what you have to do."

* * *

Five miles away, Robin clicked his communicator shut, shaking a bit. Starfire floated over, concerned. "Robin? What news did Terra have?"

He looked up, straight into her eyes. "Slade – has a bomb."

Swallowing, Starfire replied edgily, "We must get the sick people away from here. There are not too many left. Darkfire took the ICU patients with cousin Saffire and friend Speedy."

Robin seemed to be calculating something. "You say there aren't too many left. Who's still here?"

She thought, glancing back at the hospital building. "Raven has just arrived on the roof," she said. "Friends Cyborg and Beast Boy are still inside. Bumble Bee and Mas y Menos are taking some of the healthy-making people to another place. And us."

Sighing, Robin made a quick decision. "Take Raven and head over to City Hall. I'll help Beast Boy and Cyborg round up the remaining kids."

"But – " She dropped her train of thought at the look her boyfriend was giving her. "I will find Raven," she said, a bit meekly, and flew off.

"Good luck," he said softly, then ran towards the building.

He found the other two boys on the ground floor of the hospital. They were, to put it lightly, swamped. Ten toddlers were crying and screaming, running away from Cyborg, who was trying to coax them out but only succeeded in scaring them further. Beast Boy managed to get some nine- and ten-year-olds to sit somewhat quietly on the floor, but many more were just hanging around. He noticed Robin at the door.

"Dude," he said. "HELP!"

With his help, Beast Boy and Cyborg managed to get thirty-four kids rounded up and out to the waiting rescue squad of Wildebeest, Hotspot, and Claw. Then, they returned inside at Robin's insistence.

"There could be some kids left," he said, dragging them back in. The other two shuddered as they felt a slight tremor. They didn't want to think about what Terra may be doing to Slade at the moment.

The corridors of the hospital were dim, lit through thick windowpanes by the glow of the setting sun. Beast Boy wrinkled his nose. His strong sense of smell picked up lingering traces of chemicals and medicine. He hated these sorts of places, but it was an emergency. Who was he to deny help to the citizens of a city in need?

"I'm not sure if anyone's here, Robin," Cyborg said. "I'm not picking anything up on my scanners."

He nodded, but told Cyborg to "keep going." Robin seemed tense, almost as though he was thinking of something horrible that he was afraid of. Cyborg considered the things the boy had gone through, and decided that he was entitled to paranoia.

"Wait, I'm getting something," he said, stopping. "But you aren't going to like this."

Turning to his friend, Robin looked puzzled. "What?"

"There's a heat signature of a person about BB's size, but it's two floors below ground."

* * *

Meanwhile, the 'heat signature' shifted. She was very tired, and completely terrified. Her parents had died the week before, and she was in for the official checkup so she could be adopted. Sao Rai Lang had always been terrified of doctors and hospitals, especially after her parents' car accident, but this put the icing on the cake.

Shivering, Sao hopped from the stool she'd been perching on and sat on the floor. The doctor who had been checking her had gotten a call and abruptly left the room – locking it behind him. She couldn't get out, even if she wanted to – and she wanted that desperately. The power had gone out an hour ago, and Sao had been left in the complete darkness.

_I hate the dark,_ she thought, quivering.

Then the quakes started. They began small, then grew. Shockingly, the girl was completely convinced that they would split the ground.

Although she was thirteen years old, Sao was very tiny. She was three inches under five feet tall and barely tipped the scales at eight-seven pounds. Her black, shiny hair was fixed in two ponytails and went down almost to the floor. The children's service lady, Miss Smith, had said she could get it cut after her doctor's appointment as a treat. Sao had always wanted short hair.

She sighed. "Why am I thinking about stupid stuff?" she asked the darkness plainly. "I always do this. I think about the stupidest stuff when I'm scared." Then, she grinned, although no one was there to see her. "Or I talk to myself."

Then she heard a sound. It sounded like scuffling. Carefully, Sao moved to the now fading crack that marked the door and pressed her head against it. She wasn't going crazy; there were voices out there!

Shrinking from the door, she wondered vaguely what to do. Surely they had to be good people – but what if they weren't? What if these people where horrible? Looters, maybe? She ducked against something, now nearly frozen in fear.

"Hello?"

Her breathing quickened. They knew she was in there!

"Get back!" the deep voice commanded.

There was a scratching sort of noise, and then what sounded like thunder. As it grew closer, the door suddenly burst into splinters. Screaming, Sao clung even harder to the thing next to her.

A light shone in her eyes when she opened them, and a small shape was crouched next to her. "Hey, are you all right?" a young voice asked.

She trembled. "Leave me alone!" she whimpered. "I – I'm scared. Go away!"

The source of the light, a tall, squarish sort of boy, looked over his shoulder. "We need to get moving."

The figure near Sao – which seemed male – bobbed its head. "Sorry, but I don't have a choice, he told her, then picked her up.

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to do. She bit him, terrified as she was. Yelling, he dropped her, and Sao looked up at the person who was trying to kidnap her. His eyes were green. Heck, _he_ was green. She just simply stared at him.

_I just bit a Teen Titan._

He picked her up once more and started running towards the hall. Suddenly, a huge tremor rocked the earth. Sao expected it to last a few seconds like the last one, but it dragged on, longer and longer, and it seemed to be picking up in power.

The taller figure – _Cyborg_, Sao realized – cursed. "Hit the decks!" he yelled, flipping open his arm. "Robin! We've got the girl! But – Robin? ROBIN!"

"Dude, forget it!" Beast Boy yelled, setting Sao on the ground. "Just get on the floor!"

The three ducked as the earthquake trembled and raged. Robin skidded into the hallway, diving towards Cyborg. "Are you all right?" he yelled over the shake.

His friend nodded. "God! I hope Terra and Sierra let up a bit soon!"

There was a scream, then everything was still. Slowly, the three Titans stood, Robin swearing as he examined his green tights, Beast Boy nursing his ripped-open arm. Robin sighed in relief. "Oh, thank God everyone's all right."

From the ground came a whimper, and they noticed that for once Robin was wrong.

Not everyone was all right.

* * *

Terra pulled herself from the ruins of Slade's house. The battle had gone horribly wrong, and she and her sister were both injured, bleeding, and wiped out. Sierra was pinned down under a rock. "T-Tara," she whispered. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "You aren't." She lifted a hand to elevate the rock, but her sister stopped her.

"DON'T!" she gasped. "You're worn out as it is! You push yourself any harder, and you'll turn again!"

Realizing that she was right, Terra lowered her hand. "Fine. I'll do it the old-fashioned way." She dragged herself over and pushed the rock off. Then, she collapsed, breathing heavily. "I – don't feel so good."

Sierra nodded, sitting up with a groan.

Something shifted some rocks nearby, and they twisted around, both completely helpless. Starfire stood on a rock with her brother behind her. "Terra," she said, "Where is Slade?"

Terra shook her head. "He's gone," she whispered. "He got away."

The girl tensed, then sighed. "All right. We will take you back to the Titans."

* * *

"Oh my God," Beast Boy said.

The girl they'd been trying to save was lying under a rock, looking like a broken doll. There was a huge gash in her side, stretching from her arm to her hip, and she was bleeding profusely. The three boys knelt by her.

Robin started tearing off what remained of his tights. Beast Boy gave him a quite disgusted look. "We have to stop her bleeding," he explained, ignoring the fact that he was bleeding from both legs and arms plus a head wound. He got the green stuff into strips and wrapped it around the girl's torso, binding her bleeding injury. Nodding, Beast Boy, the only undamaged member of the team, started ripping off his sleeves. Between the two of them, they managed to get the girl covered.

Cyborg pulled a dog tag from around her neck. "Dude, I thought these things went out after Vietnam," he commented. "Says her name's Sao Lang, blood type AB negative."

Robin nodded a bit. "She needs a blood transfusion," he said. "Now. She'll die if she doesn't get some in her system." He sat down dizzily. "I've got – type O – "

"You are _not_ donating blood in your condition," Cyborg scolded. "You'll die, and we'll all be worse off."

Behind the mask, his eyes narrowed. "Who will?"

Simultaneously, they turned to Beast Boy. He gave then a creeped-out look back. "What are you lookin' at me for?" he asked. Then he realized. "No," he said, flat-out. "I can't give her my blood! Do you know – "

"Do I know that this girl will die if she doesn't get blood soon? Yes, I do," Cyborg said. "Do I know that if Robin gives blood, there's a pretty good chance _he'll_ die too? Yeah, I do. Do I know that _I_ don't _have_ blood? YES, I DO!"

Robin gave him a regretful look. "You have to, Beast Boy," he said. "It's the only way."

Beast Boy gave his friends a very distrustful look. They didn't realize what they could be doing. "Fine. Get the needle ready."

* * *

**Rory: Hmm. What could come of this? No good, I tell you!**

**So I'll post again Tuesday. Enjoy this somewhat short chapter while you can!**


	2. II

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, would half of "The End" have happened?**

**fourthelement: Sorry I haven't been updating. I've been – busy, we'll say. And stressed. A lot.**

**Anyways. Here we go with the next part of Greener on the Other Side.

* * *

**

"_Hold still, BB! Wait – there we go."_

"_Gah! That hurts!"_

"_For the sake 'a – never mind. We need to get outta here."_

"_What – who's that? Is she – oh, great God, she's bleeding! Mas, Menos, get a doctor!"_

"_Robin, you are not all right…"_

"_Just take her. She's got a transfusion, the bleeding's stopped. It'll be fine."

* * *

_

Sao awoke to the sound of a nurse bustling around the room. Or was it a nurse?

" – keep on holding on your desire, you will get that shining love – "

Whoever was walking about was wearing very clicky shoes, kept making flickity sounds with something that sounded like gigantic beetle wings, and was very impatient. The girl opened her eyes and tried to sit up, gasping in pain when she felt a wide gash in her side stretch.

Bumble Bee rushed to her side. "Whoa! Careful there, Lang, or you'll rip out those nice stitches the doctors put in."

It all came rushing back to her – the hospital, the quake, the Titans - _I bit Beast Boy,_ she thought ironically – and the sharp, intense ache when a rock came crashing down on her a few seconds before she lost conciousness.

The girl bit her lip. "I lost a lot of blood," she mumbled, going over what more than likely happened during the quake. "Head trauma, probably broke something – " she quickly flexed everything " – or not."

Laughing, Bumble Bee sat on the bed next to her. "Know your injuries, do you? Well, you were pretty banged up."

Her tilted eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"

"The Titans are trying to help fix some of this mess we've made," Bumble Bee said dutifully, ignoring Sao's tone. "And since one of the Titans gave you some blood, Robin thought we should stay with you until you got better." She stood. "Actually, Beast Boy wants to talk to you."

She cringed. "I didn't mean to bite him," she whispered.

"You bit Beast Boy?" Bumble Bee intoned curiously. "Well, if you did, that's not why he wants to talk to you. BB's the one who gave you some blood. So if you blush green instead of red for a while, don't worry 'bout it." Seeing the look on Sao's face, the older girl laughed again. "You probably won't. He did give you quite a bit of blood, but it was exactly the same blood type as yours, AB negative. Your body will replenish itself of blood cells and get rid of Beast Boy's in plenty of time. For now, though, you'd better rest."

Gently, she pressed the girl down. Sao gave in easily. She _was_ really tired…

* * *

"What went wrong?"

Beast Boy and Cyborg were talking to Raven and Starfire in the lobby of Jupiter's secondary hospital; the main one had been decimated in the quake.

Raven shook her head. "We don't know, Beast Boy," she told him. "Terra and Sierra have been awake for more than four straight days now, because they're scared to sleep and turn into stone. Robin says not to talk to them." A look of slight disgust overshadowed her face. "As if forgetting it will change the fact that Slade beat them."

"We must not be unkind," Starfire said, chiding her friend. "They have been through the hell of which Cyborg commonly speaks."

Beast Boy just shivered. "I hope they're okay…"

"They're fine," Cyborg said. "I went to see them today. It's weird, they won't eat anything besides ground meat and noodles, but they seem otherwise normal."

From the look on Raven's face, eating only meat and noodles was not in any way, shape, or form 'normal'.

"But what about that kid?" Cyborg asked. "That little Asian kid."

Beast Boy shrugged. "I was sitting with her for a while, after the doctors let me out of observation, but then I had to sleep. So now Bumble Bee's with her."

Raven and Starfire had puzzled looks on their faces. "The one of whom shares your blood?" Starfire prodded.

"Yeah, I gave her some blood," Beast Boy said. "Robin made me."

Raven looked up at the lobby clock. "Speaking of…Where'd he go? He said he would be back five minutes ago."

Rolling his eyes, Cyborg replied, "Probably checking if these people have a gym or something."

Starfire rose into the air. "I wonder if our other friends are in the place of Many Foods that you call the 'cafa-teeee-ria'." She floated off in the general direction of the kitchens.

Beast Boy sighed. "I hate hospitals," he muttered.

Having barely caught his mumble, Cyborg frowned. "Dude, why don't you – "

"BB! Yo, BB!"

The short teen looked up to see Bumble Bee flying towards him. "What?"

"Sao Lang's awake. If ya still want to talk to her." Smiling, she settled on the arm of Cyborg's chair.

He smiled. "Thanks, Bee. That was a big help." He ran off towards the girl's room.

* * *

Out of sight of the other Titans, Robin pulled something unfamiliar from his belt. He never used this particular item; it normally stayed hidden in his utility belt until someday, like now, he needed to use it.

It was round and black with a yellow letter 'R' engraved in its smooth surface; it looked like the crest pinned to his chest. Silently, Robin found the latch on the bottom of it and flipped it open, revealing a small screen and three gray buttons. The screen was black as well, with a yellow and black crest in the foreground. This crest blinked, signaling that there was a message waiting.

He let out a breath. It had been so long since he'd seen that emblem that he was exhilarated just to see it again. Clicking a series of buttons on the device, Robin held it up to his ear and waited for a reply.

"Hello?"

That voice was unmistakable. "It's me," the boy replied shortly. "You rang?"

The man on the other end laughed. "Why yes, I did."

He nodded, forgetting that this communicator was low-tech and without video communication. "Nice to talk to you again, Bruce. What did you need?"

"There's something – important that I need to see you about," came the static-y reply. "You need to return to Gotham City as soon as you can."

"What?" Robin practically yelled. Lowering his voice, he muttered, "I can't. I have responsibilities now. I can't just go running away from my team. They're in shambles."

On the other end, Batman sighed. "Robin. This isn't just about the Teen Titans. This is about a bigger picture. I'm up at the Justice League Space Station. There's someone here I need you to see."

Running through several possibilities in his mind, Robin finally made a general pissed-off sound. "Fine. I'll come up. But do I have to leave now? I have to tell my team first."

"Fine. But I expect you today." The connection terminated.

Cursing, Robin shut the communicator. Why did Batman want to see him? Who was it he was supposed to see? Hopefully not a criminal or something.

He went back to the hospital's lobby. Cyborg would have to take charge while he was gone.

* * *

"Hey."

Sao looked up from the book to see Beast Boy standing in the doorway. She'd been reading since Bumble Bee had left. "Oh. Hello."

He walked over to the chair and sat down. "I see you got a haircut. It looks – different."

Unconsciously, she ran a hand through her soft, straight, and now shoulder-length black hair. She had found a pair of scissors and cut it herself. The rest of it was in a cloth bag under her pillow. "Well, um, uh – "

Beast Boy turned his head to the side, giving her an odd look. "So, you feelin' better now? You were sorta cut up last time I saw you."

She nodded. "And I'm really sorry I bit you."

He laughed. "Dude, don't worry about it. Raven's practically killed me before. Plus, Cyborg's done way worse than that, and he's my best friend." Then, a serious expression descended on his face. "You're sure you feel okay."

Nodding furiously, Sao added, "I'd feel better if I had some video games or comic books I guess, but I'm not a rich kid, I'm just a Korean orphan."

"Huh?" Beast Boy looked concerned. "Wha – what happened to your parents?"

Swallowing, she stared at the bed. "It was…a car accident. They were driving home from my brother's first day of school, and I was at home because I didn't start my classed yet. It was raining, and they were driving across a busy street…" She trailed off, a glazed look in her eye. When she continued, her voice was flat. "The police said the other driver was drunk, and he couldn't see the light at the inter – intersection. That he never saw my parents or my brother or the car."

The boy lowered his head. "My parents were in an accident, too," he told her. "It was a boat. I don't really know what happened. No one did. They just went to study the fish and the expedition never came back."

"I – I guess I should forget about it," Sao mumbled. "Get over it and move on."

"No."

She was taken aback by the force in Beast Boy's voice. "Never forget about your parents. Never."

It was very quiet for a while. Then, Beast Boy stood up. "I'd better go," he said. "I'll come back and visit soon, though. Sound good?" She nodded, smiling. He smiled back. "And I'll see if I can bring you something so you aren't so bored."

"Really? Thanks!" Sao said, eyes dancing.

"No problem. Oh, by the way," he said, "I like the color of your eyes. I didn't know anyone from Asia with green ones like that."

She frowned. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "My eyes are brown."


	3. III

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or "The Most Dangerous Game". Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori is debatable. I totally own Pogo, though.**

**Pogo: Do not.**

**Rory: Fine. Rei does.**

**Pogo: …I hate you.**

**Rory: Thanks. Anyways, enjoy the new chapter.**

**LATER: This is just a break from my hiatus. I probably won't update again until at least next week, unless I get a lot of reviews. Which isn't likely, as I normally get one. Or two. But you don't want to hear about that. Just read the story.

* * *

**

Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori was not the sort of scientist who sat in a lab all-day and stared at strands of DNA through a microscope. No, Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori was the sort of scientist who did illegal experiments on chimpanzees while his Evil Storm Troopers of Doom guarded his Totally Awesome Secret-Secret lab. He was also the sort of scientist who electrocuted human beings to check if it made their brains work better; pull skin samples from living specimens so he could get more later; eat huge meals in front of his starving specimens; and test makeup on animals in front of chained animal rights activists. But that was just Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori's style.

Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori was what you may call an evil scientist. But maybe that's just you, because he calls himself a Real Scientist. Note the capital letters.

One day, not too long after reading a newspaper article about the destruction of Jupiter, Florida by the Teen Titans, Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori was enjoying his morning coffee. He was talking with his comrade, Engelou Zaroff, who was a hunter of big game, when his friend pointed out something of interest on a website. "Look here," he said. "It looks quite enjoyable, don't you think?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "'Guess the Jackson sibling portrayed in the photograph: Latoya, Janet, or Michael'?"

"No, no, not that," Engelou said hastily, "Though I'd bet it was Latoya. The article about the convention."

Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori shook his head. "I do say, my good fellow, that's Michael. And the article about good old Samuel's convention?"

The hunter nodded. "This year's topic is anthromorphics. Didn't you once study that?"

"Oh, yes," he said, taking a sip of coffee. "I was thinking of picking it up again. What's it say?"

Engelou Zaroff smiled. "It says that all the scientists want to examine a true anthromorphic, find out how to make more," he said. "What say you try for it?"

He laughed. "Try to catch an anthromorphic? What _did_ you put in your tea?"

The man waved away the comment. "Really! I know of one you can catch."

Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori leaned forward. He was very interested in what his friend had to say; he always came up with the most fascinating ideas. Zaroff smiled. "His name is Garfield Logan, otherwise known as Beast Boy of the Teen Titans."

He considered this for a moment. "'Beast Boy'," he muttered. "What a repulsive name. But that sounds quite sporting, old chap. We'll see if we can catch this 'Beast Boy' of which you speak."

* * *

**Huh. Well. Fun.**

**Anyway, review! And I still don't think fourthelement's fanfics will be up and running again until March...though I have chapter nine of Greener on the Other Side nearly done.**

**Have a nice day.**


	4. IV

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or anything related to them. This includes Darkfire, Saffire, Wasp, Sierra, or Hydra, although technically I own the last four because I made them up, so don't steal them. But I don't own the rights or anything.**

**Rory: I'm bored. And my fingers are starting to hurt. This'll be the third chapter I've typed today. Dang.**

* * *

Hurtling into the lobby of the hospital, Beast Boy grabbed Cyborg. "Where's Robin?" he demanded.

Cyborg looked at him as though he was crazy. "I don't know! Get off me, BB!"

The boy looked up when he was tapped on the shoulder. Robin stood there, arms crossed over his chest. "What do you need?"

Beast Boy grabbed him as well and dragged him into the nearby bathroom, locking the door behind him. When he turned around, he looked very angry.

"I TOLD YOU!" he yelled. "I told you I shouldn't have given her blood! Didn't I? So this isn't my fault! Know what, I'm just going to have to transfer to Titans East or Something, 'cause this just isn't working, and – "

"Wait a second," Robin said. "Slow down. Why shouldn't you have given that girl blood? And what isn't your fault?" He was terrified that she was having a bad reaction or dying.

He glared at his leader. "That girl I gave blood to? Her eyes are green."

For what felt like a long time – it was actually about three seconds – Robin and Cyborg stared at the little green guy in silence. Finally, Cyborg answered. "…So what?"

"So WHAT? What do you mean, 'so what'?" Beast Boy yelled. "She told me her eyes used to be brown!"

Cyborg put a hand on his shoulder. "So maybe that's a side effect of getting your blood. It can't be that bad."

He grabbed the metal hand on his shoulder and shoved it away. "When I was six and got really sick, my parents gave me this treatment. Right away, it turned my eyes green and made me paler. Eventually, it made everything green." He yanked off a glove and waved a green hand in front of his friends' faces. "Even my freaking fingernails are green! What d'you think Sao's gonna think when she figures out that she's turning green?"

Robin grabbed the other boy's hand. "Look, both of you have a good point," he said. "It could just be a minor side effect, or it could be something more. Beast Boy, why are you so worked up over this?"

"Do you know how much it _hurt_ to turn green?" he demanded. "Or how much it takes out of a person to turn into all sorts of stuff, really fast? Or how miserable it made me when I was littler?"

"All right," Cyborg said, "We get it. But Robin, what're we going to do?" He shook his head. "That sounded gay, even to me. Dangit."

He seemed to be considering something. "We'll bring her home with us," Robin finally decided. "She'll be safe there, and Cyborg can run additional tests on her. We can notify her parents – "

"Sao hasn't got parents," Beast Boy informed the boy.

"Fine," he said. "We'll notify her next-of-kin."

He shook his head. "She's in Children Services. That means she's pretty much alone."

Robin frowned. "So – she doesn't have – _anyone_?"

"Nope."

He instantly felt very bad. The girl was just put into an even worse position than before. "Uh, I guess we'll just tell the people in charge of her and you guys can take her to the Tower with you when you go. Keep her under observation for a week, and if nothing happens, give her our phone number and send her back."

Cyborg held up one hand. "Whoa, hold on there. What do you mean, 'you guys'? Why not 'we'?"

Robin sighed. "I got a call from Batman," he mumbled. "I have to go up to the Justice League Space Station."

He grinned in reply. "All right," he said.

"Whatever," Beast Boy said.

* * *

As soon as the boy left, Sao hopped out of bed, practically fell over in pain, then shuffled to the bathroom. In the mirror, a small, vaguely cute, short girl with brown skin stared back at her. The black hair was cut roughly but generally evenly, flipping out a little, and hit her shoulders. In her opinion, the only difference from the last time she looked in a mirror was her eyes, which were still slanted and huge, but were now a shocking emerald green.

To another's eyes, she looked much different from the last time she'd seen herself in a mirror, which had been the previous week at the Children Services building. The girl's body was still short and thin, but her limbs were much more toned and a little more shaped than they had been, and her fingers were a little longer. There was also a greenish tinge around her cheeks.

"I really do have green eyes," she whispered in Korean. "What's happening to me?"

Silently, she shuffled back into her bed and lay flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling. There were exactly seventeen cracks in it.

After a while, the door clicked open, and three people came in. Sao could hear all three sets of feet; they all had different rhythms.

The three fell silent, and a hand laid on her shoulder. Beast Boy's spiky head popped into her line of vision. "Hi," he said. "It's me again. Aren't I annoying?"

She sat up, shaking her head. "You're less annoying than the toddlers at the Building," she said.

He smiled. "Well, I have good news, and I have bad news."

"What's the bad news?"

One of the other Titans with him, a girl in a hooded cloak, said, "You aren't going back to the Services people. They're bringing your stuff for you right now."

The girl was terrified. Had she done something wrong? "W-what's the good news?"

Starfire walked over to the side of her bed, and she and Beast Boy helped Sao sit up. "The good news? We're bringing you to Titan's Tower with us."

* * *

**Rory: Well, wahoot, I got it done!**

**If you want the next chapter up next week, tell me, I'll update if I get a few reviews.**


	5. V

**Disclaimer: Teen Titans does not belong to me. How do I know this? Because if it did, then it wouldn't have been taken off the air and "Things Change" wouldn't have happened. I HATED that episode…**

**Rory: Heya. I'm back. I guess. Not that I'm putting this chapter up right away when I'm back. So I should stop now. Heh.**

**I'm guessing that this chapter will be a bit better than the other ones. Hopefully, it'll be longer, too…**

* * *

"How long will you be gone?" Starfire asked. She and Robin were sitting on a wall outside the hospital.

He looked away. "I don't know," he muttered. "Batman said that there was someone he wanted me to meet. And he told me to go to Gotham City first."

The girl flipped a few loose locks of hair over her shoulder. "That simply could mean where he will perform the 'picking up'."

"I know," Robin replied, frustrated. "It's just – I'm worried. I don't know what he wants. Br – Batman may want me to train under someone again. Or help him find a criminal, or work with another team. He may try to remove me from the Teen Titans."

"He would not," she said confidently. "He must know of our friends here."

Staring at the ground, he replied, "You don't know Batman."

They fell silent. For a while, all that could be heard was the few cars driving by. Finally, he said, "I had better get going." Robin stood up. Starfire stood as well, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I will miss you," she said softly.

"I'll miss you too, Star," he replied quietly.

* * *

"How's she doin'?"

Beast Boy twisted around in his seat. Turning back, he replied, "She's still not talking."

Cyborg shook his head. "That doesn't mean anything. She's probably perfectly fine."

In the backseat, Sao knew they were talking about her, but she didn't care. She was staring out the window, watching the Florida countryside disappear. She had finally gotten used to what she considered ugly trees, and the weather, and even the idiots who threw things at her. But now, the Titans were taking her somewhere new. When would it end?

"Do you think it is pretty?"

Jumping, she turned to the girl beside her. She was pale, with black hair that had blue streaks in it, and she spoke with an accent that Sao couldn't recognize. "Um, not really," she said truthfully.

The girl smiled at her. "I do not really think so either," she replied. Sao smiled a little as well. The girl held out a hand. "I am called Hydra," she said. "I am Atlantean."

She had no clue what an Atlantean was, but Sao didn't care. "Sao Rai Lang," she said softly. "Just Sao is fine."

Hydra nodded. "They did not explain why you were coming to the Tower with us," she said. "Do you have powers? Are you joining the Titans?"

Her face turned white. "No," she said. "I was in an accident. They want to watch me."

"I see." She leaned against the seat. "I have only been a Titan for a short while," she said. "I think you will like living at the Tower."

Sao stared out the window again. By then, they had taken off and were flying over the state of Alabama. "I hope so."

They were silent the rest of the way to the Tower. Sao spent most of the time listening to Hydra talk vividly to a blue-haired girl next to her about something called "stankball" that Cyborg and Beast Boy apparently enjoyed playing. Meanwhile, Cyborg and Beast Boy were discussing Robin's new predicament in the front seat.

"I can't believe that Batman just up and told him to get to the Space Station," Cyborg said. "That doesn't seem like the man to do that."

Beast Boy shook his head. "They're all nuts," he commented. "Ya know?"

Cyborg sighed. "You don't know what you're talking about."

He smiled innocently. "Of course not."

The T-car pulled up to the Titans Tower. "Well, we're home, guys," he announced. Saffire, sick of Hydra and her annoying chatter, practically tore the door off its hinges, and Hydra followed, still talking about the importance of heroes like Aqualad in the American superhero system. Sao hopped out of the SUV and stared up at the large consonant. In the pictures, it hadn't looked this _big_.

"You want some help?" Cyborg offered.

She started. "No," she replied, moving towards the back of the car. "I can get it." From the trunk, she grabbed a small bag that held her few sets of clothing and her single precious possession.

Cyborg frowned. "That's it?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "Yes. Why?"

"Well, it's just that I've never seen a girl who didn't have a whole boatload of stuff," he said. "Star came and she practically dumped a spaceship full of crap in her room. Raven had a bunch of books and stuff like that. Even Terra had a lot of different sets of clothes."

The girl's green eyes looked tired. "I am from a poor country," she said shortly. "I never had much to begin with."

With that, she turned and started trudging up the path to the door. Cyborg looked a little flushed, and Beast Boy bit his lip. It seemed as though this girl had never had a particularly good life. He hoped that he hadn't made it any worse.

At that point, he realized that he was standing outside by himself. "Hey, wait up!" he yelled, running into the building.

* * *

Starfire and Raven were sitting at the table in the kitchen while Darkfire moved around very noisily, singing some strange song in Japanese and tossing stuff into a large pot. The girls pulled out a couple of chairs for Cyborg and Beast Boy.

"We sent Saffire to show Sao to a room she could stay in," Raven explained. "And Hydra went with her."

The other girl shook her head. "That girl is quite talkative."

Cyborg laughed. "I noticed," he said. "But Sao's okay?"

Raven nodded. "You know," she commented, "If we keep finding residential Titans, we'll have to build a new base."

The older boy groaned. "Tell me about it! I'm gonna have to build a T-van just so we can fit everyone!"

Beast Boy grinned. "Can we make it black?" he asked. "With a purple stripe?"

"No," Cyborg replied automatically.

"Excuse me."

They looked up to find Sao in the doorway. She looked a bit nervous. "Saffire is strangling Hydra. I thought you might want to know."

Starfire sighed, and Raven shook her head. Cyborg cursed. "That's the fifth time this week," he muttered to no one in particular. "HEY! Darkfire! Get your cousin off Hydra!"

"Yes sir!" Darkfire shouted, saluting the other boy. He then flew off.

Sao frowned. "You don't seem to find it particularly troubling that one of your teammates is strangling one of the others."

Raven shrugged. "Why should we?"

"Cyborg does the beating up upon Beast Boy on many occasions," Starfire piped up. "And Raven enjoys frightening those who interrupt her meditation."

The girl in the door looked a little disturbed. "You are very strange people," she said.

Beast Boy grinned. "Welcome to the Tower," he said.

* * *

**Rory: Well, that one's done. What did you think? Reviews motivate me. : big smile : Anyhoo, I have to get reviewing some TT stories myself. Later!**


	6. VI

**Disclaimer: You see the little thing on the end of the Teen Titans show that says "Producer: Glen Murakami"? Well, that means that HE owns it and I don't. Not that I don't want the show.**

**Rory: Today I have a special guest with me.**

**Pogo: I'm not special!**

**Rory: She has low self-esteem issues. But Pogo is helping me to write this chapter. So enjoy it!**

* * *

The entire Tower woke up the following day at about five twenty-three in the morning. They were startled into consciousness by a loud, horrified scream. Everyone rushed into Sao's room to find the girl staring in the mirror, shocked. Beast Boy grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him and got a shock.

Her hair had turned green from her scalp to about an inch from the skin. Her eyebrows and eyelashes had also turned a slightly darker forest green. She looked terrified. "What is happening?" she asked him.

Knowing what was going on, Cyborg and Darkfire began to pull the other Titans out of the room. Beast Boy swallowed. This was not going to be fun to explain. He waited until the others were gone before telling her, "I think you're turning green."

"I know that!" she snapped. "I think I figured it out when I looked in the mirror and had eyebrows that looked like grass!"

This was very difficult to explain. Beast Boy sat her down on the bed. "When you were hurt, Robin made me give you blood. A lot of blood. I think that when I was a little kid, my parents changed my blood so that I wouldn't die, and it changed my entire chemical makeup. That's why I can change into animals."

She thought for a moment. "So you aren't an alien?"

"Uh, no." He turned a bit pink. "I think that the genetic material that changed my blood is changing yours." It wasn't a particularly good illustration of the situation, but it would have to do.

Sao stared at him. "So I am going to turn into you?"

He thought about it. "Sorta. You'll look like me. Only green. And you're not going to grow much more."

"I knew that. The doctor told me." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "I'm sorry for screaming," she said softly. "I guess tomorrow when my skin is green, I should probably just wake you up instead."

Beast Boy smiled. "If you want," he said.

"What should I do?" she asked.

"Whatever you did every day at the Children Services place."

The girl raised a single verdant eyebrow. "You think I should change baby diapers and discuss my psychological health with one of the nearby shrinks."

A blush crept into his face as he realized how stupid the statement sounded. "Well, you can hang out with someone," he said, "Or play video games with me and Cy. I bet you could test Darkfire's cooking." He shivered. "No one but Star has been brave enough to eat it. Not even Saffire."

She grinned in a very Beast Boy-ish way. "I could do that."

He smiled back. Beast Boy hadn't seen Sao smile before. "There's also books around here somewhere, and a practice room if you want to use it."

"Thanks." She stood up. "Now, is there anything to eat around here?"

Beast Boy got an evil look on his face. "I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Darkfire watched Sao with blank, shocked looks on their faces. "I did not realize that one so small could consume so much," Starfire said slowly.

"Hell with that," Cyborg said, "I didn't know that _anyone_ could eat _every single one_ of BB's tofu recipes, not to mention in the same freaking sitting!"

Raven's eyes were huge. "I've never even seen Darkfire or Starfire eat that much," she said. "And they have nine stomachs."

For about an hour, Beast Boy had been cooking various forms of tofu for Sao to try. Not only had she eaten a lot of everything, she had liked all of it. Beast Boy had collapsed on the chair, exhausted from running around the kitchen so much.

The girl smiled up at the other Titans. "I will cook for you sometime," she said. "I am a good cook. You would like the food. I can make noodles, and chicken, and bread – "

"That would rock," Cyborg said. "Finally! Now we don't have to go out to eat!"

"I thought you liked pizza," Raven commented.

* * *

"Hiiyah!"

Sao landed a straight-on flying-leap punch on the leather bag. Her now slightly green-tinged skin blurred, fading in a flurry of kicks punches, and blocks as she basically killed the bag. _Left, right, hook, kick, block, left, kick, _STOP!

The girl froze in a block position, arms together in front of her face, legs balancing her slight weight. "What was that?" said a voice from the door. Beast Boy had stuck his head in, watching.

"Uh," she said. She had been practicing the fighting moves that her older brother had taught her. She missed him a lot. Then, she shook her head, trying to block the rush of memories that came at her. "I was – um – that was just something I picked up." She didn't want to tell him about her family. She didn't want to think about them.

"I didn't know you could do that," he said, stepping into the room.

Sao went back to hitting the punching back, not wanting to look at him. "You don't know me very well," she replied. "I just met you."

He cringed at her tone. "Look, I wanted to show you something I've never shown anyone before. Is that okay?"

She paused, then turned. "All right," she said.

Nodding, he clenched his jaw. A look of deep concentration came across his face. Slowly, his ears shrunk and rounded, his arms and legs lengthened, and his eyes, hair, and skin faded. For a few moments, Sao was seeing a normal fifteen-year-old boy with golden-brown hair, blue eyes, and freckles, a boy a little taller than Robin. Then, in a flash, he was back to the short, green teenager he was most of the time.

She gulped. "What was _that_ about?"

He looked at her sadly. "That was Gar," he said. "Gar Logan."

"But – " Sao was confused. "Isn't _your_ name Gar Logan?"

The boy staggered to a two-foot-high balance beam and sat on it. "Yeah. It used to be. Not anymore, though. Now I'm Beast Boy. I wasn't Beast Boy right after I got sick. I was still Gar. I was just barely green. I looked sorta like you, actually," he commented. "Only…a boy."

Smiling, she asked, "Then – what changed?"

His face tightened. "After my parents' death, everything changed. This guy who didn't even like me adopted me. He was a total jerk." Beast Boy paused. "Then I met the Doom Patrol. They helped me get away from my adoptive father and gave me a new name."

"Beast Boy," she said, even though they both knew it.

Nodding, he continued. "I still was Gar Logan, though. I never really changed into Beast Boy until I became a Titan."

"Why?"

He thought about it. "Well, when I was in the Doom Patrol, they all called me Gar in private. Not in public, though. But when I became a Titan, everyone called me Beast Boy. Because that's how they saw me. They never met Gar, because Gar was a mess-up, and I didn't want them to know him." He sighed a little. "I wish I were him again, though."

Sao thought about it. "You know," she said slowly, "I think that the Teen Titans are heroes. They don't care about who you were. They only care that you help people."

Beast Boy perked up a bit. "I never thought of it that way."

She grinned. "Maybe you should have," she said, going back to her punching bag.

* * *

"What is this?" Darkfire poked at the food on his plate.

Hydra smiled. "It is the type of food I ate when I was still at home," she said.

Beast Boy looked ready to throw up. Starfire had taken Saffire away from the table, since no one wanted a repeat of yesterday's evens. Raven was drinking her tea, insisting that she was "on a diet" and couldn't eat Hydra's cuisine, why Cyborg was happily munching away. Darkfire continued to poke at it until something sharp grabbed his finger. He yelped and slammed his hand down on the minute crustacean.

"It's alive!" he yelled.

The girl gave him a blank look. "Of course," she said. "What did you expect?"

Sao reached in, grabbed the tiny lobsterlike animal by the tail, and bit down on its head. It stopped moving, and she used her mouth to pull off a claw and sucked the meat out. "This is good," she said, still munching. "Did you make this, Hydra?"

"You like it!" she cried joyfully.

Darkfire gave Sao a strange look. "Can you show me how to do that?" he asked curiously.

She smiled. "Sure."

* * *

**Rory: That was fun!! I hope you liked it.**

**Pogo: I didn't get the shrimp thing.**

**Rory: …did anyone else? Anyway, reviews rock! See you next time!**


	7. VII

**Disclaimer: Do I look like Glen Murakami? Don't answer that.**

**Rory: Welcome to the seventh chapter of Greener on the Other Side! As you can see, Sao seems to be…turning green…**

**Pogo: CAN I GET ANOTHER "AMEN"?!**

**Rei: AMEN!!!**

**Rory: sweat : They're a little…excited. In case you can't tell, I'm listening to Holiday by Green Day (WHICH I DO NOT OWN.) So if this chapter seems a bit demented, that would be why. Have fun!**

* * *

"What's that?"

Beast Boy and Cyborg had been playing video games in the living room for three straight hours while Sao watched. Finally, she got up the courage to ask them what it was.

Cyborg gave her a strange look. "Dude, this is freaking Pac-Man! Everyone knows Pac-Man!" **(Oh, yeah, I don't own that, either.)**

She frowned. "Pac-Man? What is that? Is it some sort of training procedure?"

At this point, Hydra politely intervened. "It is called a video game," she explained. "The boys use those devices in their hands to control which way the little yellow munching guy goes."

"Oh," she said. "So it isn't of major importance?"

Hydra started laughing. "No, it is just a strange boy thing."

Sao was unfamiliar with this concept of boys having strange habits. America was certainly a very strange place. Or maybe it was just the Titans. "Are there any other things I should know about?" she inquired.

The other girl frowned. "Such as what?"

"Are there any strange girl habits that I should know about?" she asked uncertainly. "If the boys in this country have strange customs, the girls certainly must." The poor girl became even more confused when Cyborg and Beast Boy started laughing at her.

"You're a lot like Starfire," Beast Boy finally said as a ghost ate his Pac-Man.

"Am I?"

The two boys exchanged glances. "Yep," they replied in unison.

She shrugged. "Well, may I try?"

Beast Boy stopped, leaning towards the GameStation. "We were gonna play Amber War," he said, frowning. (See note at bottom.) "You can try that, I guess."

Smiling, she nodded. "All right."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Cyborg asked as Beast Boy handed the girl a controller. "It's a brand-new game. Even _I_ haven't cracked the first level yet."

He shrugged. "How can it hurt?"

"Neither of us has won the first battle!"

The younger boy gave him a blank look. "That may be a problem."

Meanwhile, Sao tapped a few buttons, moved the joystick around a bit, then set down the controller as the screen flashed, "Game over. Advance to Level Two."

Cyborg blinked at the television. "Hey," he said slowly, "You won."

She nodded. "That is what the player is supposed to do, right?"

"Uh, I guess so," Beast Boy said. "But how'd you do that so fast?"

Sao gave him a questioning look. "I just followed the directions," she said. "The game told me a few different moves to use, and I tried combination number thirty-nine with the forward thrust-turn."

Hydra gave the boys a look. "You are bound to catch flies," she teased.

Shaking his head, Cyborg said, "Maybe havin' you at the Tower'll be a lot more fun than we thought."

* * *

Quietly, Sao slipped into the kitchen carrying a bag. Moving to the sink, she started filling the sink with water.

"What are you doing?"

Jumping, she turned. Darkfire was leaning against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. His eyes, she noticed, were red. As Beast Boy would put it, that totally creeped her out. "I'm – um – "

"What are those?" he asked, indicating the bag. When she didn't reply, he flew over and took it from her hands.

"Hey!" she yelled, attempting to snatch it back. He flew up, just out of her reach, and looked inside. She glared at him. "It's clothes," she snapped. "They're my clothes. Is that a problem?"

The boy shrugged, dropping it back into her hands. "No," he replied evenly. "What is a problem is the sink that you have just flooded."

Turning around, she yelped when she saw that the sink had overflowed. Sao cursed loudly in Korean and turned it off. Darkfire raised an eyebrow. "That isn't very kind to the sink," he said in the same language.

She frowned at him. Finally, she shook her head and unstopped the drain. "Well, how do you suppose I wash my clothes if not in the sink?"

In reply, he pointed out the back door of the kitchen. In the tiny room was a pair of gigantic machines that looked like two eyes of a monster. "Try the clothing-washing-room," he said. "Put the garments in the basket on top of the left machine, and they will be returned to your room when they are clean."

"Oh." A slight green blush rose in her face as she dumped the five or so articles of clothing in the basket. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He smiled, touching back down on the floor. "Do you like living here?"

Sao bit her lip slightly. "I don't want to get used to it. If I do, I'll just get moved again."

He shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because the Titans do not get rid of people," Darkfire replied simply. "They may have overly vigorous training programs, but they do not get rid of people."

Nodding, she replied, "That must be true."

"Oh, it is," he assured her. "Take Claw, for example."

She frowned. "Who is Claw?"

"Exactly," he said. "Claw is Beast Boy's cousin. He can turn into a cat. But he does not like to be around the others, so he spends much time undercover in downtown Jump City. However, the Titans do not take away his badge simply because he acts a bit oddly. They just let him help people in his own way."

"I see," Sao said. They were quiet for a moment. Finally, she asked him something she had been afraid to ask anyone else. "How long am I going to stay here?"

Seriously, Darkfire replied, "As long as you can help the Titans."

* * *

"PIZZATIME!"

Looking up from their various activities, the Titans gave Cyborg a blank look. "You want us to go for pizza," Raven said dryly.

"Yup," he said cheerfully.

Starfire smiled, clapping her hands. "I am for all it!" she cried. "As long as there will be anchovies and strawberry jam!"

"Does she always eat weird food?" Sao whispered to Beast Boy, who nodded.

"Well, what are y'all waitin' for?" Cyborg asked. "Get in the car!"

"We won't all fit," Raven pointed out.

He looked annoyed. "Then get _on_ the car. I don't really give a damn. Just let's all get to the pizza place!"

After some cramming, a couple of pokes, five burns, and a slap, the Titans fit themselves into the T-car and drove to Franco's, a French pizza restaurant. Why some French guy would have a pizza parlor was beyond them. Once the car stopped, the Titans literally spilled out of the car.

"Please get off me," Sao mumbled to whoever was crushing her head into the pavement.

Some rearranging was done, and Beast Boy, nursing a burn from when Starfire had gotten a little frustrated, pulled Saffire and Sao up from the ground. He dusted himself off. "I'll order," he said happily, running into the shop. Cyborg chased after him.

"Oh no you don't!" he roared. "You are _not_ ordering seven extra-large tofu deluxe pizzas!"

Giggling, Sao sat on a low wall by the restaurant. "They're crazy," she whispered to herself. "But I like that."

* * *

**Rory: Phwee, that was fun.**

**Pogo: Bring me to liiiiiife…**

**Rory: …all right then. I've moved on to Evanescence. Anyway, the video game that Beast Boy and Cyborg are playing, Amber War, is something I made up and belongs to me. So there. : pokes out tongue at evil lawyer : Well, I hope you liked that chapter!**


	8. VIII

**Disclaimer: Okay, I own Teen Titans, the Batman, Smallville, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, a set of fifty-three silver-backed playing cards, the Tiffany Glass at the museum, the rights to the Bionicle empire, Avatar: the Last Airbender, Inu-Yasha, Ranma ½, Fruits Basket, the Fiddler on the Roof, the Music Man, Rurouni Kenshin, and Kim Possible, and I can sell you the Brooklyn Bridge!**

**Rory: I'm sick of writing this. So starting next chapter, my dear person named Pogo is going to be writing my notes for me.**

**Pogo: …why?**

**Rory: Because I said so.**

**Pogo: Oh.**

* * *

Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori was a very busy man. He just spent so much time using lasers on puppies that he didn't have much time to do other things. Since Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori did not have time to catch a certain anthromorph that we know as Beast Boy on his own, he decided to hire someone to do it for him.

But who to hire?

Certainly his old friend Slade Wilson was not an option; he had been on the run from the Titans for a while now. If rumor had it, he had just narrowly escaped them. Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori sighed in frustration. Slade did do things thoroughly.

He thought next of his other old friend, Dr. Light. But alas, the man was currently in a mental institution, and the last time Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori had seen him, he was muttering inanely about how frightening the dark was. Dr. Light was certainly out of the question.

Perhaps what Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori needed was not an old friend, but a new ally. There certainly were many young criminals just waiting to make a name for him - or herself. Why, just the other day the Joker's daughter, Harlequin, had broken into the same bank that her father had been unable to crack. The Titans East had caught her before she had made it three steps from the front door of the bank, but that wasn't really the point.

Yes. This plan was starting to formulate itself. Picking up a phone, Dr. D. Darion D. D. Draculori dialed a number. Maybe this new contact he had would be able to help him.

Then he set down the receiver. He had forgotten. Before he could make this call, he had to go 'take care' of the latest prisoner on the grounds.

* * *

Sighing happily, the Red X settled into his cool black and gray apartment. He had just forged the deed the other day. Very nice, he thought. Such a Slade-ish touch. There wasn't much in it – just a phone, a computer, a television, and a couch. But hey, he hadn't had any jobs lately.

Just then, the phone rang. He sat up, pulling his mask back on. Nobody knew his number. Not yet, anyhow.

Slowly, he moved to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hi, I'd like to order a pepperoni pizza with banana peppers and sau – "

"This isn't a pizza delivery service," he snapped, slamming down the phone. Why was it that everyone thought he made pizzas?

When he went back to the couch, the phone rang again. This was getting annoying. He stomped over to the phone and snatched it back up. "This isn't Luigi's!" he yelled.

"I'm sorry," a cool voice replied. "I was looking for a young many by the name of X. But you obviously aren't him."

_Oh, shit._ "Uh, yeah," he said, "I'm the Red X. I keep getting prank calls, that's all. Why do you need to talk to me?"

Over the line, the voice laughed. It sounded like a crackle of air. "Well, X," the other person continued, "I have a job offer. The job may be a little difficult, but I'm sure you can handle it."

"Hell I can," he replied.

"I want you to capture a Titan," he said. "A Titan by the name of Beast Boy."

Warning bells started going off in X's head. The last time he had tried to capture a Titan, he practically had his chest blown out. Why did people enjoy sending him into the depths of the enemy fortress? Then he told himself, _Because you're the only one stupid enough to take the job._ As was always the case. "I'll do it," he said nonchalantly. "What's your price?"

"Fifty thousand," came the crackly reply.

He snorted. "That's nothing," he said. "A million. At least."

The man on the other head took a sharp breath. "What?"

"I've tried to kidnap a Titan before now. And I know I'm going to need a million for medical bills. So a million or nothing."

His new boss sighed. "All right. A million. I'll wire you five hundred thousand tonight. The rest when you get him."

"All right," said X, setting the phone down. Then he started laughing. _If I get him._

* * *

**Rory: Oh, such fun! I kind of feel sorry for the guy, though. He gets so abused by his employers.**

**Well, review, review, review! That is, if you want to see another chapter…mwahahahaha.**


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